The recent debuts of women-only areas at a prominent hotel and department store, as well as on long-distance buses, railway cars and airplanes, have generally been received favorably.

But there are persistent cries that women are being treated too well and that areas such as these are nothing but an exercise in reverse discrimination.

"Women experiencing serious inconvenience and unpleasantness are increasing in number, and business enterprises have at last launched countermeasures," said Yoko Haruka, a TV celebrity well-versed in feminist ideology.